Calligraphy upon your Heart chapter 2
by Princess Monokoe
Summary: This is the second chapter to Calligraphy upon your Heart so if nothing makes sense, then you know why... if you are still reading this I love you already! This uploading thing is harder than I thought o.O
1. Chapter 1

_Are you ready?_I was surprised to find an empty space where she had been a minute before.

"Looks like your tiny friend deserted you," Something in Kotesku's voice made me look up just in time to defend myself from his first attack. Wait- what was this foreign yet familiar sword in my hand? The silver hilt crackled with hidden secrets, each whispering about the stars and ancient lightning just awakening.

"Not quite." I ground my teeth together and balanced my weight on my heels. I had to push my best friend away.

There was a sense of wrongness- this type of fighting against one's zanpaktou was only for training purposes, not personal battles. I hooked my blade under Kotesku's and shoved with all the strength I had stored inside of my small body. A jolt went through my arm and his face was thrown back along with his body. He crashed into a young cherry tree, sending young blossoms swirling to their death and new beginnings.

"That's it Otonei." He fixed me with a heart wrenching glare while he dusted off his dirty pants. Raising the black sword, he brought a static wind that kicked the fallen cheery blossoms from the ground into the air.

_Stand firm,_Shikari said steadily in my whirling head. I felt something strong and dangerous swirling in the pit of my stomach. Mentally nodding, I planted my feet firmly apart and waited for the incantation that I could have repeated flawlessly in my sleep.

"From the north to the south, east to west, I call the entire host of tempests that slumber under the furthest regions of this world and the lady of the sky that breathes her power under the heavens," The air felt heavy and morbid.

_Oh crap! He's already halfway through! What do we do?_My hear fluttered uncertainly under my shinigami uniform. Did this little girl have the power to match or even surpass the brutal force of Kotesku?

_When the time is right I will give you a command… Don't worry, I'm right here._A sense of reassurance flooded my senses and I felt the power of invincibility feed hope into my spirit.

"…..I summon you: Soude Kieva!" All the sound was sucked out of the world and I could hear the pitter patter of my heart. The sky went from sunny to dusk to storm gray within the space of a minute.

_Be ready,_I nodded, praying for more courage. Kotesku was no longer holding a single sword, rather he had a sickle in one hand and a violet dagger in the other. I felt like I was at a serious disadvantage and I almost dropped my weapon.

"Kaiten Raihou," He raised his left hand to the sky and a gray tide of reishi rushed towards me. Holding the silver sword in front of me, the waves broke into a V on either side of my shoulders and thundered into the wall behind me. Crossing both blades, Kotesku flicked his dagger in the air, catching it lightly and pointing it at my neck. Suddenly he wasn't there. I barely had enough time to spin on my heel and block the blows that rained from my weaker side. Was he really trying to kill me? I received his answer when he came charging at me, his head ducked and his sickle cleaving the air where I once stood.

_He's getting more serious Shikari. I'm not sure I want to fight him anymore; this isn't… ugh, it just doesn't feel right._

_I feel it too, but I don't think he will stop. I don't even think that's him. Watch out!_Shikari became visible and leapt over me to slash at Kotesku's legs. He looked up with a blank, unfocused gaze. Maybe the real him was locked somewhere deep inside.

"Kaiten!" A blue ball of energy shot out of the dagger and narrowly missed my ear. Scratch that. If the real him is down there then he better resurface before he was seriously damaged. Shikari sliced at him without a pause for remorse and ducked when the curved metal whistled over head.

"Otonei. I need you to-" Ducking in time to miss the swinging sword again, Shikari kicked the bigger zanpaktou's feet out from under him. _I need you to call something for me and don't ask, just do it._She finished in my head.

_What?_

_Just promise!_

_But-_

_This will help him_Shikari interjected. I quickly weighed my options and chose the one that would possibly lead to the destruction or the assistance of my closest friend.

"Don't think you can get off that easily!" Twirling around to face us, Kotesku ignored the darting and cutting Shikari and flash-stepped out of her range. He bared his perfect teeth before running at me with both of his swords flanking his sides.

_Bankai!_Shikari screeched painfully through the confines of my head.

_What? I don't even know shikai with you! Heck- I don't even know you! I felt my limbs turn to ice and my vision darken._

_Just say it!_She shrieked again, disappearing back into my body with a smell of smoke and burned spice.

Setting my feet apart, I held my sword in front of me and looked directly into Kotesku's blurred gaze. "Bankai!" Everything seemed to slow down and the world took on a vibrant, almost unreal hue to it as I felt my body rise with a galaxy of stars.

_At last Otonei,_Shikari's voice drifted from nowhere and everywhere. I slowly opened my eyes to see a massive grey eyed dragon staring back at me. I cringed back as it came closer, appraising me with it's curious personality and child-like demeanor. The dragon and Shikari's disappearance clicked and I tentatively stroked her muzzle.

"So this is your true form?" I asked, hardly daring to believe it.

_Yes, but we must get back to the fight._Just as soon as the magical moment was there, it was gone and the dull colors of life returned along with the enraged face of Kotesku. Backing up so that the impact would be absorbed by my calves, I found myself under Shikari's looming shadow with her sharp talons resting mere inches from where I stood. I looked up and saw her open her jaws and let loose and unearthly roar that shook the ground and made the tree tremble.

_Pick up your sword Otonei. This battle is far from being done._I saw a pure white sword plunged into the ground near my hand. A chain was coiled around the silver hilt. The moment I picked it up my vision was changed and I saw everything the way it had been in the small galaxy. Sparks flew from between my fingers and energy surged through my body, filling my soul with strength I never had.

"What is this?" A silky voice cut through the roaring and froze my heart.

_OTONEI!_Shikari's call reached far into my consciousness as her claws came down inches from my stance, sending up sparks where it connected with metal. Stepping out from under her protective shadow, I dodge around her forepaws and muttered some quick kido I had remembered from the last practice session.

"Let him up Shikari." Letting the sword fall to my waist, I stood back and watched Kotesku writhe helplessly on the ground. His weapons lay a couple feet away from him and I picked up them up, feeling the familiar weight press against my palms but shuddering at their unknown form.

"What did I tell you earlier Otonei?" My Captain stood on the other side of the kido wall that the three of us were on. He walked slowly over to a cherry blossom that had fallen and folded it in his hand, letting it go after a moment.

"Captain, my deepest apo-"I bowed self consciously and scooted behind one of Shikari's scaled legs.

"Captain is there something happening?" Renji appeared beside Byakuya, glancing at us for a split second before focusing back on his captain.

"Truth to be told Abarai, I don't know." He said, giving me a melancholic gaze.

"Dang it! Did I miss him? Where's Ichigo?" Kenpachi flash-stepped onto the stands that surrounded the training grounds with Yachiru stuffing her cheeks with rice cakes on his shoulder.

"In the world of the Living I guess." Rangiku said airily throwing and arm across her short captain's neck and pulling him in for a headlock hug. He pushed her away and rubbed his neck, shooting withering looks at his lieutenant the whole time.

"Go back to your squads, I will handle my own business." Byakuya turned his back on the bystanders and walked purposely toward the sakura garden that grew behind the Squad 6 lodgings.

"Follow me Otonei," He said almost as an afterthought. Looking up at Shikari's intelligent face, I made a step to collect Kotesku's subdued form, but Shikari nudged me in the direction of my retreating Captain.

_I'll take him to Captain Kurotsuchi and see if he can run tests._Shikari reassured me. She scooped his limp body gingerly into her pointed mouth and lumbered out of the half deserted stadium: Kenpachi and Yachiru still looking for Ichigo.

_Don't leave…leave him if you can. Please. For my sake at least Shikari._I sprinted to keep up with Byakuya's brisk pace all the while thinking about the blank look in Kotesku's eyes as he fought. Was it really okay to leave him with the little girl who she had only met a few hours ago? Maybe even a whole life time ago? Would Captain Kurotsuchi-

"Don't be so preoccupied, it leaves you open for attack." The Captain said as he opened the gate that led into the lush garden. I stood ungracefully in the thresh hold, wondering whether I should wait for him to invite me in or just walk in. "We don't have time to waste Otonei, I have important matters to attend to."

"Yes Captain." I sat uncertainly across from my grave squad leader and folded my hands in my lap.

"First I would to ask you what you were doing out of the squad four healing facility? I read the report on the hollow attack and I find it hard to believe that you got hurt considering the performance and shocking rietsu you just displayed. Tell me how you got hurt and why you left."

"When we got the message that there was an attack on the bridge between the World of the Living and the Senkai Gate, we responded and I was paired with Hisagi from squad 9 and Haruko from our own." I knotted my hands painfully in my lap. "In the middle of the fight Haruko went missing and Hisagi sent me to go look for her, but when I found her she was surrounded by three hollows with one of the verge of becoming an arrancarr. I remember shielding her when her zanpaktou shattered and then being carried to the 4th squad." I lapsed into silence at the end of the gruesome recollection.

"Why did you leave after?"

"I left…. I left because I knew there were others who were worse off than me and my injuries could wait." I finished hesitantly, leaving out important details.

"Interesting, considering that your injuries were the worst from the attack and your zanpaktou had handed you over half dead. There was a report of a death, but he was not of our squad." Byakuya stared at me with thinly concealed concentration. "Now tell the other half of why you left." How had he known?

"I couldn't let what happened to Haruko happen to any other person… I have failed as a shinigami and I will train until I can attain the name of Soul Reaper again." Bowing my head in defeat, I refused to meet his gaze.

"That sounds more like you. If only there were more undying supporters like you Otonei." His tone was no longer neutral. "I still have a few more questions: Who is the little girl and is she your zanpaktou? What went wrong with the other?"

"Shikari, the little girl is Shikari. I cannot confirm if she is my zanpaktou because of peculiar reasons, but she was the dragon from earlier. I feel that…" I trailed off, realizing that I was about to tell Captain Kuchiki that I might know her. "Er, I don't know what happened to Kotesku. I think when I got hurt something inside of him snapped."

"I see. I assume you sent him…" He left the end of the sentence blank for me to finish.

"Captain Kurotsuchi's lab." I whispered. A soft laugh came from the other side of the table and I looked up into the Captain's smile.

"You sure make some strange decisions. Well, Unohana said that when I found you I should return you to her." He stood and I rose swiftly, ready to object.

"I have to check on my zanpaktou," A breeze whipped the silver hair across my face and Shikari was standing beside me in her normal form.

_You have been summoned by Head Captain Yamamoto; he would like to speak with you, "_If that's okay with your captain?" She finished for the benefit of Captain Kuchiki.

"I have been asked to see Head Captain Yamamoto. Well, that is if I have your permission Captain." My eyes widened as a Hell Butterfly floated in and landed on his finger. He stood silently listening to the message before casting a vacant nod in my direction, watching me forlornly as I darted out of the garden.


	2. Chapter 2

_Are you ready?_I was surprised to find an empty space where she had been a minute before.

"Looks like your tiny friend deserted you," Something in Kotesku's voice made me look up just in time to defend myself from his first attack. Wait- what was this foreign yet familiar sword in my hand? The silver hilt crackled with hidden secrets, each whispering about the stars and ancient lightning just awakening.

"Not quite." I ground my teeth together and balanced my weight on my heels. I had to push my best friend away.

There was a sense of wrongness- this type of fighting against one's zanpaktou was only for training purposes, not personal battles. I hooked my blade under Kotesku's and shoved with all the strength I had stored inside of my small body. A jolt went through my arm and his face was thrown back along with his body. He crashed into a young cherry tree, sending young blossoms swirling to their death and new beginnings.

"That's it Otonei." He fixed me with a heart wrenching glare while he dusted off his dirty pants. Raising the black sword, he brought a static wind that kicked the fallen cheery blossoms from the ground into the air.

_Stand firm,_Shikari said steadily in my whirling head. I felt something strong and dangerous swirling in the pit of my stomach. Mentally nodding, I planted my feet firmly apart and waited for the incantation that I could have repeated flawlessly in my sleep.

"From the north to the south, east to west, I call the entire host of tempests that slumber under the furthest regions of this world and the lady of the sky that breathes her power under the heavens," The air felt heavy and morbid.

_Oh crap! He's already halfway through! What do we do?_My hear fluttered uncertainly under my shinigami uniform. Did this little girl have the power to match or even surpass the brutal force of Kotesku?

_When the time is right I will give you a command… Don't worry, I'm right here._A sense of reassurance flooded my senses and I felt the power of invincibility feed hope into my spirit.

"…..I summon you: Soude Kieva!" All the sound was sucked out of the world and I could hear the pitter patter of my heart. The sky went from sunny to dusk to storm gray within the space of a minute.

_Be ready,_I nodded, praying for more courage. Kotesku was no longer holding a single sword, rather he had a sickle in one hand and a violet dagger in the other. I felt like I was at a serious disadvantage and I almost dropped my weapon.

"Kaiten Raihou," He raised his left hand to the sky and a gray tide of reishi rushed towards me. Holding the silver sword in front of me, the waves broke into a V on either side of my shoulders and thundered into the wall behind me. Crossing both blades, Kotesku flicked his dagger in the air, catching it lightly and pointing it at my neck. Suddenly he wasn't there. I barely had enough time to spin on my heel and block the blows that rained from my weaker side. Was he really trying to kill me? I received his answer when he came charging at me, his head ducked and his sickle cleaving the air where I once stood.

_He's getting more serious Shikari. I'm not sure I want to fight him anymore; this isn't… ugh, it just doesn't feel right._

_I feel it too, but I don't think he will stop. I don't even think that's him. Watch out!_Shikari became visible and leapt over me to slash at Kotesku's legs. He looked up with a blank, unfocused gaze. Maybe the real him was locked somewhere deep inside.

"Kaiten!" A blue ball of energy shot out of the dagger and narrowly missed my ear. Scratch that. If the real him is down there then he better resurface before he was seriously damaged. Shikari sliced at him without a pause for remorse and ducked when the curved metal whistled over head.

"Otonei. I need you to-" Ducking in time to miss the swinging sword again, Shikari kicked the bigger zanpaktou's feet out from under him. _I need you to call something for me and don't ask, just do it._She finished in my head.

_What?_

_Just promise!_

_But-_

_This will help him_Shikari interjected. I quickly weighed my options and chose the one that would possibly lead to the destruction or the assistance of my closest friend.

"Don't think you can get off that easily!" Twirling around to face us, Kotesku ignored the darting and cutting Shikari and flash-stepped out of her range. He bared his perfect teeth before running at me with both of his swords flanking his sides.

_Bankai!_Shikari screeched painfully through the confines of my head.

_What? I don't even know shikai with you! Heck- I don't even know you! I felt my limbs turn to ice and my vision darken._

_Just say it!_She shrieked again, disappearing back into my body with a smell of smoke and burned spice.

Setting my feet apart, I held my sword in front of me and looked directly into Kotesku's blurred gaze. "Bankai!" Everything seemed to slow down and the world took on a vibrant, almost unreal hue to it as I felt my body rise with a galaxy of stars.

_At last Otonei,_Shikari's voice drifted from nowhere and everywhere. I slowly opened my eyes to see a massive grey eyed dragon staring back at me. I cringed back as it came closer, appraising me with it's curious personality and child-like demeanor. The dragon and Shikari's disappearance clicked and I tentatively stroked her muzzle.

"So this is your true form?" I asked, hardly daring to believe it.

_Yes, but we must get back to the fight._Just as soon as the magical moment was there, it was gone and the dull colors of life returned along with the enraged face of Kotesku. Backing up so that the impact would be absorbed by my calves, I found myself under Shikari's looming shadow with her sharp talons resting mere inches from where I stood. I looked up and saw her open her jaws and let loose and unearthly roar that shook the ground and made the tree tremble.

_Pick up your sword Otonei. This battle is far from being done._I saw a pure white sword plunged into the ground near my hand. A chain was coiled around the silver hilt. The moment I picked it up my vision was changed and I saw everything the way it had been in the small galaxy. Sparks flew from between my fingers and energy surged through my body, filling my soul with strength I never had.

"What is this?" A silky voice cut through the roaring and froze my heart.

_OTONEI!_Shikari's call reached far into my consciousness as her claws came down inches from my stance, sending up sparks where it connected with metal. Stepping out from under her protective shadow, I dodge around her forepaws and muttered some quick kido I had remembered from the last practice session.

"Let him up Shikari." Letting the sword fall to my waist, I stood back and watched Kotesku writhe helplessly on the ground. His weapons lay a couple feet away from him and I picked up them up, feeling the familiar weight press against my palms but shuddering at their unknown form.

"What did I tell you earlier Otonei?" My Captain stood on the other side of the kido wall that the three of us were on. He walked slowly over to a cherry blossom that had fallen and folded it in his hand, letting it go after a moment.

"Captain, my deepest apo-"I bowed self consciously and scooted behind one of Shikari's scaled legs.

"Captain is there something happening?" Renji appeared beside Byakuya, glancing at us for a split second before focusing back on his captain.

"Truth to be told Abarai, I don't know." He said, giving me a melancholic gaze.

"Dang it! Did I miss him? Where's Ichigo?" Kenpachi flash-stepped onto the stands that surrounded the training grounds with Yachiru stuffing her cheeks with rice cakes on his shoulder.

"In the world of the Living I guess." Rangiku said airily throwing and arm across her short captain's neck and pulling him in for a headlock hug. He pushed her away and rubbed his neck, shooting withering looks at his lieutenant the whole time.

"Go back to your squads, I will handle my own business." Byakuya turned his back on the bystanders and walked purposely toward the sakura garden that grew behind the Squad 6 lodgings.

"Follow me Otonei," He said almost as an afterthought. Looking up at Shikari's intelligent face, I made a step to collect Kotesku's subdued form, but Shikari nudged me in the direction of my retreating Captain.

_I'll take him to Captain Kurotsuchi and see if he can run tests._Shikari reassured me. She scooped his limp body gingerly into her pointed mouth and lumbered out of the half deserted stadium: Kenpachi and Yachiru still looking for Ichigo.

_Don't leave…leave him if you can. Please. For my sake at least Shikari._I sprinted to keep up with Byakuya's brisk pace all the while thinking about the blank look in Kotesku's eyes as he fought. Was it really okay to leave him with the little girl who she had only met a few hours ago? Maybe even a whole life time ago? Would Captain Kurotsuchi-

"Don't be so preoccupied, it leaves you open for attack." The Captain said as he opened the gate that led into the lush garden. I stood ungracefully in the thresh hold, wondering whether I should wait for him to invite me in or just walk in. "We don't have time to waste Otonei, I have important matters to attend to."

"Yes Captain." I sat uncertainly across from my grave squad leader and folded my hands in my lap.

"First I would to ask you what you were doing out of the squad four healing facility? I read the report on the hollow attack and I find it hard to believe that you got hurt considering the performance and shocking rietsu you just displayed. Tell me how you got hurt and why you left."

"When we got the message that there was an attack on the bridge between the World of the Living and the Senkai Gate, we responded and I was paired with Hisagi from squad 9 and Haruko from our own." I knotted my hands painfully in my lap. "In the middle of the fight Haruko went missing and Hisagi sent me to go look for her, but when I found her she was surrounded by three hollows with one of the verge of becoming an arrancarr. I remember shielding her when her zanpaktou shattered and then being carried to the 4th squad." I lapsed into silence at the end of the gruesome recollection.

"Why did you leave after?"

"I left…. I left because I knew there were others who were worse off than me and my injuries could wait." I finished hesitantly, leaving out important details.

"Interesting, considering that your injuries were the worst from the attack and your zanpaktou had handed you over half dead. There was a report of a death, but he was not of our squad." Byakuya stared at me with thinly concealed concentration. "Now tell the other half of why you left." How had he known?

"I couldn't let what happened to Haruko happen to any other person… I have failed as a shinigami and I will train until I can attain the name of Soul Reaper again." Bowing my head in defeat, I refused to meet his gaze.

"That sounds more like you. If only there were more undying supporters like you Otonei." His tone was no longer neutral. "I still have a few more questions: Who is the little girl and is she your zanpaktou? What went wrong with the other?"

"Shikari, the little girl is Shikari. I cannot confirm if she is my zanpaktou because of peculiar reasons, but she was the dragon from earlier. I feel that…" I trailed off, realizing that I was about to tell Captain Kuchiki that I might know her. "Er, I don't know what happened to Kotesku. I think when I got hurt something inside of him snapped."

"I see. I assume you sent him…" He left the end of the sentence blank for me to finish.

"Captain Kurotsuchi's lab." I whispered. A soft laugh came from the other side of the table and I looked up into the Captain's smile.

"You sure make some strange decisions. Well, Unohana said that when I found you I should return you to her." He stood and I rose swiftly, ready to object.

"I have to check on my zanpaktou," A breeze whipped the silver hair across my face and Shikari was standing beside me in her normal form.

_You have been summoned by Head Captain Yamamoto; he would like to speak with you, "_If that's okay with your captain?" She finished for the benefit of Captain Kuchiki.

"I have been asked to see Head Captain Yamamoto. Well, that is if I have your permission Captain." My eyes widened as a Hell Butterfly floated in and landed on his finger. He stood silently listening to the message before casting a vacant nod in my direction, watching me forlornly as I darted out of the garden.


End file.
